This time of year is very exciting in the wine business and what's fun is that Washington is really becoming quite the mecca for cool wine events, wineries and winemakers!

Here's a few of the wine events coming up that you really should check out:

The Herbfarm out in Woodinville starting September 25th thru 28th - "You're the Winner" for the exciting themed event called: "IRON SOMMELIER"! Here's the skinny: They pit their talented sommeliers against each other in this battle of the wine titans. Who will conjure up the cleverest and best wine and food matches for our end-of-summer menu? Vote for your favorites and they'll tally the winner in the entertaining and tasty wine-inspired September dinner menu. Clothing optional for non-drinkers. LOL

Then this coming weekend September 26th to 28th is a major weekend for wine events and "PengWine" warehouse will be starting it off with one party after the other! Starting on Friday (a little one with music by the talented David Head ) and then the big blowout is on Saturday and Sunday with wonderful Chilean wines, food and entertainment by the beautiful jazz singer "Cheri Seymore"!

On October 8th at 6:00 PM experience the marriage of food and wine at the Daniel's Broiler Educational Winemaker's Dinner Series Event with DeLille Cellars! Daniel's Broiler in Bellevue is proud to invite you and your guests to an evening with DeLille Cellars.

Joining them from the Winery will be Head Winemaker Chris Upchurch. They will begin the evening with some passed hors d'oeuvres and an aperatif until Chris offers us a small education on the power of Red Mountain. Shortly thereafter we will have the call to the table where you will be delighted by the talents of Chef Peter Kelly.

Price: $95.00 per person, plus tax and service - To secure your reservation request, please e-mail your name, phone number and number of people in your party to the Daniel's Broiler Wine Director at vintagelounge@schwartzbros.com. The Wine Director will then call you to confirm availability. Please note: your credit card will be charged upon making the reservation and no shows will be charged. Only the first 16 confirmed reservations can be admitted into this private event.

Time: 6:00pm - Welcome, light hors d'oeuvres, seminar - 7:00pm - Dinner
Location: Vintage Lounge, Daniel's Broiler, Bellevue

Saturday October 11th, 2008 12:00pm - 4:00pm "Celebrate the Reds" - A Salute to the Pleasures of Autumn in the Northwest. Annual fundraiser to benefit the Arboretum Foundation. Ciscoe Morris the Northwest's own nationally acclaimed

gardening guru presents "Gourmet Plants to Whet Your Fall and Winter Appetite".

They'll have food from RACHA Thai restaurant, Wine Tasting from 12:00 to 4:00pm with these fine wineries: Cedergreen Cellars, Chandler Reach Vineyards, Chatter Creek Winery, Di Stefano Winery, Mercer Estates, Otis Kenyon Wine, Ross Andrew Winery, Thurston Wolfe Winery, Yellow Hawk Cellar. Tickets for wine tasting priced: 3 tastes for $10.00 or 8 tastes for $20.00. Music & Chocolate too!

Free admission and complimentary valet parking.

Also on October 11th, 2008 out at "Challenger Ridge" it's the "Harvest & Crush Party", featuring "The Troy Fair Band" from 11am-4pm (music noon to 4pm)

Join them for a day of family fun with the crushing of grapes with your bare feet, live music, barrel tasting, wine tasting, Jet Boat Rides, Bocce Ball, Horshoes, BBQ, Pumpkin Bowling.

They will also be having a Harvest Dinner that evening. Tickets go on sale September 15th. Reserve your spot since there is limited seating. Please visit, "Challenger Ridge" or call: Rachel for ticket purchase at 425-422-6988.